Wolfed
by Arwen4ever
Summary: The pack was led by Lupa with 28 others. She was mother of the pack, ruling over with her mate Cerberus. Lupa never felt pity for grown humans and she never believed that one day she would miss one in particular.
1. That night

Wolfed

1885

*** My whole life I've lived away from humans. ***

*** An early offspring, cast away into the shadows by my parents. ***

*** I've gazed upon them, but they have not gazed upon me. ***

*** I never felt the need to go back to them, not until now. ***

Chapter 1: That night

Grey-Spirit was raised by wolves, literally. But not any wolves, talking wolves. The pack rested in a small valley in a forest a few kilometers east of the Missouri River. They were led by Lupa with 28 other wolves. She was mother of the pack, ruling over with her mate Cerberus, a dark brown, cold-blooded killer. Lupa never felt pity for any human, but on 1872 Christmas Eve, she chose a path that, in the end, saved her life, her packs' lives and many other animals everywhere.

The pale faced child was thrown out at the age of 4 months by her own parents. She was one of two, but her parents couldn't afford to keep her, so they threw her out back and kept her twin, Abigail. Cold and alone in the snow, the baby cried. All seemed lost but in the light of the snow came out Lupa. 'Hush, child,' she swooned. Her voice was stern but sweet. Her coat was as white as snow and her eyes blazed of burning coals. The child saw pity in those eyes of hers as she lifted her in her jaws and carried her back to the rest of the pack.

Cerberus was sitting on his rock, his head rested on his paws. He lifted his nose to the air. 'A human,' he growled, shaking the snow off his fluffy brown coat. 'Lupa you know we cannot take in this child.' The other wolves were awake now, listening to their leaders quarrel. 'She is only a baby,' Lupa growled back. 'She has been thrown out by her own pack.'

'That does not make her our responsibility.'

'My responsibility,' Lupa corrected. 'I am willing to take the responsibility for this child. I will teach her our ways. She can still become one of us.'

Cerberus snarled but did not disagree. 'When the child grows up and starts to hunt us, it will be on your paws.' He retreated into his cave on the hill. The other wolves walked carefully up to Lupa to see the newest member of the pack. One ginger cub came up and poked her snout at the child, 'What is the pale one called?' whispered Mona. 'Grey-Spirit,' Lupa answered. 'She will be called Grey-Spirit.'

13 years later. Grey-Spirit was grown and wild. She was black haired, with a thin layer of adapted wolf fur. Her teeth had grown sharp and carnivorous and her unclipped nails were deadly to any pray. Her senses were like no ordinary human. But she was no ordinary human. And she was no ordinary wolf either. She knew she was different, she just didn't know how she was different.

The fawn grazed peacefully in the grassy clearing. She was unaware of her audience. Grey-Spirit hid behind a small shrub, moving silently, waiting to strike. Her ears were pricked up, listened to the noises in the forest around her. A twig snaps. The fawn lifts her head in alert. It was now or never, Grey-Spirit thought. She leaped over the bush, claws outstretched. The fawn started to run, but not fast enough to escape Grey-Spirit's claws. They sank into her hide causing the fawn to squeal in pain. But she wouldn't give up. The fawn shook off Grey-Spirit and ran as fast as she could. Grey-Spirit got up and sped after the deer. It wasn't long before the fawn was within reach, her wounds slowing her down. Grey-Spirit slashed at the leg, like she was taught to do, the blood spilling on the forest floor. The fawn fell and lay silent.

Grey-Spirit hauled the dead deer back to base in her jaws. 'It's about time Grey-Spirit, I'm starving,' called out Mona. 'Back off Mona,' she called back. 'You will wait until Lupa and Cerberus have had their fill. Then, because I caught the prey, I get the next best bite.'

'Alphas eat before the others.' Mona growled.

'I am an alpha! I am more an alpha than you will ever be.'

'Is that what you believe Grey-Spirit?'

She growled back, baring her fangs. 'That is what I know, Mona.'

The two wolves turned into each other, circling carefully around the fallen fawn. 'If you want food Mona, go get some. I spent days tracking down this deer. We all know how hard it is to find food these days. More hunters appear in the forest every full moon.'

'Mona, Grey-Spirit, stop acting like cubs, I will not lose any more pack members because of the two of you.' Lupa jumped down from above, landing between the two she-wolves. Cerberus looked at them from his rock, his dark eyes glowing hungrily. Mona gave one more growl before turning away to join the others. She may have been in a rage with Grey-spirit, but she knew her place behind Lupa.

'Please everyone,' Lupa addressed the pack. 'As Grey-Spirit says, she spend days retrieving the fawn, let us be grateful that we have food at the slightest.' And with that, Lupa plunged her jaws into the fawn's side. Soon, Cerberus leaped down for his feed, licking the blood off his snout.


	2. La luna del caccitore

Wolfed

1885

*** My whole life I've lived away from humans. ***

*** An early offspring, cast away into the shadows by my parents. ***

*** I've gazed upon them, but they have not gazed upon me. ***

*** I never felt the need to go back to them, not until now. ***

Chapter 2: La luna del cacciatore

Later that evening, when the other wolves were asleep, Grey-spirit rose from her position on the rocks and drifted away from the valley. She walked with her head down, her ears up, her claws ready. She wandered down the same path that she wandered down every 28 days. The night was dark and cold. Dew fell from wet leaves, dropping silently on the ground. Grey-spirit stopped, cocked her head, pricked her ears and watched an owl swoop through the night's sky. She sighed in awe, watching the owl fly above the trees. As soon as the owl was out of sight, Grey-spirit continued on her journey.

At last the path stopped over a high cliff that gave the very best view of the moon and the little river beneath its white glow, the silver fish jumping upstream. The river was too far away to wander to alone. There were some ranches here and there, farms with cattle and animals that the wolves would sometimes be lucky to catch. But the farmers had guns, and would shot at any threat. If the wolves were really unlucky, there would be people that came into their home and kill their feed, and the wolves themselves. They would be shot at with weapons that shoot thunder and fire. There was no helping a downed wolf.

Tonight was a full moon, one of the biggest looking moons Grey-spirit had seen in her life time. A moon like that meant that something was going to change, that nature's balance would tip, just like the unusual large moon. 'La luna del cacciatore,' swooned Grey-spirit, swaying in the summer breeze. 'The hunter's moon,' she whispered. The scene was breath taking. She sat on her hind legs and sucked in the cold air before letting out a low and loud howl. Grey-spirit sat all night, watching and listening to the forest life, the river and the homes of the peoples, the suns in their homes flicker on and off, the barking dogs and neighing horses, walking by their leaders through the dark, dark night.

As she lay on the cliff, her head rested gently on her paws, a horse, pulling a people cart, neighed to a stop. Two peoples crept out from the white sheeting. One was older and thicker, Grey-spirit thought he was the father or leader, and the other was tall but young and thin. In their hands, they both held guns. Her smile faded and her mind grew numb 'Hunter,' she cried. She let out another howl, but this one was a warning. They turned to look at her. The younger one raised his gun, his leader talking it through with him, a hunting lesson. BANG! It missed. Grey-spirit's fast instincts forced her to run. She ran all the way down the path, cuts and broses took places on her legs, giving her great pain.

Lupa had heard the bang. It was distant but real, she could hear Grey-spirit running. It wasn't long after she had departed with Cerberus and walked out of her rocky den that Grey-spirit rushed in shouting, 'hunters! I saw a hunters head into the forest.' That woke the rest of the wolves. They scattered and skittered, jumping through the small valley like gazelle running from a lion. Another bang flooded the valley, birds rose from their trees and the pack whimpered of fear.

Cerberus came out and growled. 'Shut it everyone!' he shouted. The wolves stopped running around but they were scared and afraid.

'Thank you Cerberus,' Lupa murmured. 'Please my fellow wolves calm yourselves you will give away our position, the hunters have not found our valley, not yet. Mona, Grey-spirit, Jarz (a grey wolf), Cerberus, take watch everyone else take cover.' The wolves got into position, most just stuck to the sides of the valley to make themselves unnoticeable. If they were lucky none would get hurt. Jarz went out ahead, because he was small but fast, he was the one to scout ahead. He padded around trees and brushed against bushes. He could hear the peoples.

'Now when you see the next wolf, don't miss. Keep the gun up, your hands relaxed and both eyes open.'

'Yeah, yeah, it didn't even look like a wolf.'

'Did ya hear the thing? Of course it was a wolf. Whether it's an ugly duckling or a prancing unicorn, you shot.'

'Got it.'

'Wait.'

'What?'

'Shut your mouth boy, I think I hear one.'

Jarz froze, he was behind a tree and his heart was racing. The older man lined up his gun at Jarz. Jarz jumped at the last second, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the silver bite that skimmed his side. He whimpered but had to warn the pack.


	3. Abigail?

Wolfed

1885

*** My whole life I've lived away from humans. ***

*** An early offspring, cast away into the shadows by my parents. ***

*** I've gazed upon them, but they have not gazed upon me. ***

*** I never felt the need to go back to them, not until now. ***

Chapter 3: Abigail?

He collapsed at the edge of the valley. The men could be heard chasing after the fallen Jarz.

'Jarz has led them to the valley! Everyone move out, quickly!' called out Cerberus.

He ran out in front, Lupa behind him, the others started to run too, in a pack line, the stragglers at the back. Mona was at the sides, keeping them in line, while Grey-spirit was at the back, snapping at the cubs.

Cerberus led them through the forest and out onto the grass lands. The peoples came out of the forest and were catching up with them.

'Stupid mutts, should have stayed in the forest. Look at 'em Tyler, it's the jackpot.' The older man drew out his gun. 'Don't just stand there boy, pull that trigger.'

Bullets flew through the air. Some missed, but others hit, and Lupa's living pack grew smaller and smaller.

Suddenly, Grey-spirit was hit at the back leg and she crashed to the ground.

'I've got this one dad, it's the one from the hill,' called out the one named Tyler.

Grey-spirit scrambled on her back, gasping for air as she felt her heart failing. He walked slowly, taking his time. He pulled off a brown cap to reveal flopped blond hair and dark grey eyes that looked her up and down with wonder. His gun wasn't fully raised and he seemed unsure about what he was doing. He stood there staring at her until he finally whispered, 'Abigail?'

Grey-spirit growled, somehow threatened by the word. He raised his gun a little higher but not shooting, not yet.

'Grey-spirit!' It was Lupa, she was standing between the two trees that lead back to the valley.

The boy dropped his gun with a loud thank.

'It… it talked,' he gapped, now gazing at Lupa.

Grey-spirit took this chance and limped off to join Lupa and re-enter the forest.

Once Tyler had gotten over his shock he noticed his father on the ground. There was a gash where Lupa's claws had ripped the skin from his ear to his chin, dark red blood gushing out.

'Dad!' he called. He took out a pocket knife, cut off part of his shirt and pushed it hard against his eye.

He hacked up some blood, 'Did you shoot it boy?'

'Well um…'

'Ya didn't did ya. Ya had it right in the bag what happed?' He propped himself on his elbows, rubbing the blood off with Theo's torn shirt.

'To be perfectly honest, I don't know what happened.'

'Well, we'll get 'em all next time, can't stand the wee devils, won't stop 'til they're all gone. Now, be a good lad and gather the bodies in the cart and we'll take 'em to the market to see how much the fur and meat is worth tomorrow.'

The road back to Theo's cabin was bumpy and long. He sat at the back of his father's small horse-drawn cart. The smell of rotting flesh and blood filled his nostrils. His legs where pulled tightly to his chest as his memories raced again and again through his head. He tried to picture it in his mind, but he only see Abigail, his… friend. Why did he see it as her? And what was… it? More questions bit at his consciousness causing him to sink his fingernails into his legs, piercing away the pain.

'You alright back there boy?' he asked looking back at him.

'Yeah,' he said shortly.

'You don't sound too sure about that,' he turned back to concentrate on steering the horse.

'What would you say if…'

'If…'

'If I heard one of the wolves, talk.'

'I'd say you're as mad as a hatter,' he said with a grunt. 'But then again it's the crazy one's who have the most adventurous lives.'

'Thanks for the advice,' he grumbled doubtfully, placing his chin back on his knees.

Theo lifted the canvas of the cart to see the lush green banks of the little, Missouri river. The wood cabin started to come into view. Lara, the black Friesian, neighed and slowed to a stop. Tyler jumped out and landed with a thud, as dust clouded his feet.

'Hey dad, can I put Lara back?'

'Alright, but be back before sun down and watch out.' He hopped down from the cart and gave his son a pat on the back.

'Can I visit Abigail too?'

'Like I said, be back before sun down.' He went around to the back of the cart and lifted up a pie of dead wolves, one being Jarz.

'Thanks, I will.' He walked up to Lara and padded down her black mane with one hand and unclipped her collar from the cart with the other. She sneezed and bobbed her head up and down. 'Atta girl,' he whispered into her fluffy ears. He grabbed her reins and guided her around the back of the house to the stables.

There were three stalls and only one other horse, a beautiful chestnut called Timber. 'Hey Timber,' he said, saluting Timber. Timber neighed and stomped his hoof in recognition.

He continued to lead Lara on, to the grooming stall. He re-clipped her up to the dangling ropes and turned to the right to the tack room. It was dusty and damp, saddle racks were set up here and there and there was about two meters of hooks dedicated to bridles. At the back behind his father's rusty desk, covered with pieces of leather, a sewing machine, thread and a half made beautiful, black saddle, etched in golden thread, his name, Tyler, was a pile of dandy brushes and body brushes and hoof picks. Just as he picked up a few, he heard a sweet girlish voice drifting through the room, he turned his head slightly, but his back reminded to the door, and saw a sweet pale hand opening the wooden door, 'knock, knock.'


End file.
